Tilting body for trucks and the like



D. E. LE FORCE.

TILTING BODY FOR- TRUCKS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. H, 1919.

Patented Den. 2?, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- IN YEA/ 027.

ZE ML D. E. LE FORCE.

TILTING BODY FOR TRUCKS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17, [919.

1,40 1,6 1 6 Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

2 SHEETSS HEET 2.

PATENT OFFICE.

DARRELL E. LE FORGE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGN'OR TO THE. TRUCK ENGINEER ING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

'rrmnwe BODY roa raucxs m) THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 2'2, 1921.

Application .filed, February 17, 1919. Serial No. 277,397.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DARRELL E. Ln Fonon,

forward end is free to be raised upwardly from its normal position, indicated in dota citizen of the United States and a resident\t ed outline in Fig. 1', in which it rests comof Cleveland, county of luyahoga, and

State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tilting Bodies for Trucks and the like, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated.

1 applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions. The present improvements, relatlng, as indicated, to a tilting body for trucks, have more particular regard to that type of HR- ing mechanism in which crank arms connected by means of links with the plvotally mounted body, constitute the means for tilting the latter. The object of the invention is to provide a simple and compact mechanism of this type, which may be either hand or power operated, and which will be prepared to resist side strains and insure steadiness and stability in all positions of the body.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claim, the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain I truck frame with tilting body mounted thereon, and my present improved mechanism for operating the same; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of such mechanism, the truck frame and body appearing in transverse section; Fig. 3 is a planview of the same; and Fig. 4 is a side elevational view'of a modification showing the mechanism adapted for power operat on.

The main frame 1, of which the rear portion only is shown, will of course be mounted on suitable wheels propelled in any desired fashion. Similarly the body 2 may be of any form or construction adapted for the discharge of its contents by being tilted about a transverse axis. To this end the body is pivotally attached near its rear end to the frame, as shown in Fig. 1, while itspletely on frame 1. v

The mechanism for raising and lowering the body is all carried by a secondary frame 3 extending longitudinally of the main frame of the truck,'being supported at its tive projecting ends of the spindle 9 of said I worm gear are two similar arms 10 bent so as to incline in opposite directions with respect to the axls of the spindle, as shown in Fig. 2. 'Pivotally attached to the outer ends of said arms are link members 11 preferably 1n the form of triangular hollow frames having transversely extended tubular bearings in their outer ends, which receive a transverse rod 12 attached to the under side of the tilting body, such ends being held in properly spaced relation on said rod by means of an intermediate tubular member 13.

Sufficient clearance ,is left between the sides of the secondary frame 3 and the side members of the tru'ckframe 1, proper, to allow the arms 10 to swing freely through a full circle without interference; in other words, the direction of rotation of the worm gear 7 need not be reversed, when it is desired to lower the body after it has been elevated, but rotation of such gear, and thus of the arms, may be continued in the same direction. It will further be observed that by inclining the arms 10 outwardly and employing links 11 of the particular form above described, a rigidly braced support for the body in its elevated position is provided, which will steady the same against side swaying, as well as prevent racking of the connecting parts.

As previously indicated, hand power means for operating the tilting mechanism are shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, such operating means including a transverse shaft 15 suitably supported'from, the truck frame and carrying a hand-wheel 16 at its outer end and a bevel pinion 17 at its inner end, that meshes with a bevel gear 18 on the adjacent end of the Worm shaft 5. Instead, however, of such hand-operated mechanism, power means may be provided. As illustrated more or less diagrammatically in Fig. 4, these means include a counter-shaft 20 parallel with the drive shaft 21 of the truck and adapted to be connected therewith at will through the medium of a sliding gear 22 keyed on one end of said counter-shaft. The other end of the shaft is then connected, through the medium of a sprocket chain 23 and-suitable sprockets 24, 25, with the projecting end of the worm shaft 5. In this connection a greater reduction than that pro vided by the worm and worm gear is desirable, so instead of directly mounting the arms 10 on the worm gear spindle 9, a train of reducing gears 26 is interposed between such spindle and the spindle which actually carries the arms. The mode of operation ob viously is the same in this construction as in the other, and it is of course of particular advantage, where a power drive is thus employed, that the arms 10 should be free to rotate through a complete circle, since no harm can then result through inattention on the part of the operator in not shutting oii the power when the body is fully raised.

Other modes of applying the principle of myinvention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as re gards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by the following claim or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention In a truck, the combination of the main frame of the vehicle comprising side and end frame members, a tilting body pivotally mounted on the end member at the rear of said main frame, a drop-frame support having cross-bars resting on the upper sides of the side frame members, shafts carrying bevel gears journaled in said drop frame bed, operating means and a Worm on the other ends of the respective shafts, a Worm gear meshing with said worm, a spindle for said worm gear, outwardly inclined crank arms fixed to the ends of said spindle, a vertical housing for said worm gear mounted centrally above said drop frame and. carrying journals for said spindle, said drop frame being of narrow width centrally to permit of the free rotation of said spindle and crank arms, and links connecting the outer ends of the crank arms with the vehicle body at an intermediate point thereof.

Signed by me, this 15th day of February,

' DARRELL E. LE FORCE. 

